great business speakers

BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SERIOUS STUFF - I received an email from GEOFF COLVIN of Fortune this week that said “For Christmas, my mother signed me up for 23 and Me DNA testing. The company surveys its customers on zillions of things (When do you get up in the morning? Do you like asparagus?) and then correlates the results with people's DNA. I just received an email from the company with a link to a new report based on my DNA: Geoff, based on your genetics and other factors, you are less likely to have a fear of public speaking.” “I’m relieved,” I replied! When it comes to speaking before audiences at top events around the world - something Geoff does with ease and quite frequently - the mountain of cover stories, columns, and feature articles he has written for Fortune are a window on the sheer breadth of expertise and insights he brings to audiences. I’ve listed links below to some notable articles by Geoff in Fortune. Some truly outstanding reporting that is designed to help leaders of all stripes be informed about the technological, economic, political, and market forces disrupting the business landscape. Even better - Geoff's pipeline to top business leaders gives him the chance to explain what they're doing right now to adapt to the disruption and win.

Hardiness and the Courage To Lead How do great leaders find courage in defining moments, while most people don’t? That's the essence of leadership and the question has intrigued GEOFF COLVIN for years and led him to spearhead Fortune’s effort to create a different kind of top leaders list in 2014. Last week, Fortune announced the sixth annual World’s Greatest Leaders for 2019. As in the past, this year's list has some names you’ll know and many more that you won’t; but they all share a common leadership trait: “Great leaders never know for sure if their plans will work, but they plunge ahead anyway,” says Geoff. “That’s why we recognize sheer audacity, well-intended, even if the results aren’t known and even if the plans aren’t universally applauded.”

Basketball legend BILL WALTON could be the most colorful character from the world of sports. He is a curious guy with wide-ranging interests and pursuits – and he loves to talk about all of them. If you’ve ever watched a basketball game he’s broadcasted, you know just how off topic Bill can go – pulling in obscure references to science, literature, music, and more. Some sports fans find that distracting, but most everyone else watching finds it uniquely entertaining.

Happy Valentine's Day! On the day that we celebrate the heart, I want to share a story about a very special man. Basketball legend BILL WALTON is a true gentle man whose limitless kindness toward others reveals deep humanity and enormous heart. Not a week goes by that I don't hear one or two stories about Bill's generosity of spirit, but this one especially caught my attention.

MIKE ABRASHOFF is widely known for his role in one of the most storied of organizational turnarounds. At age 36, Mike took command of the U.S. Navy's near-worst ship in the Pacific fleet, the USS Benfold. Within 12 months it became the best ship in the entire Navy…using the very same crew! That transformation vaulted Mike into near legendary status. He wrote three books on the subject - the most successful, It's Your Ship, has sold over 1.1 million copies. Like all of us, there's more to Mike than what we know at the surface. Here are 5 fun you couldn't possible know about Mike Abrashoff - until now:

COL. NICOLE MALACHOWSKI (USAF, RET) wanted to fly military fighter jets since the age of five when she saw her first air show. She achieved that dream and then some. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Nicole was among the first group of women to fly modern fighter aircraft, one of the first women to fly in combat (logging 188 combat hours), and the first-ever woman to fly in the USAF Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron.

Keeping up with legendary basketball icon BILL WALTON, the most colorful and original sports personality on television, can be a real challenge. He is always on the move - making news and having fun. Here are some recent fun videos and articles on Bill:

I was with BOB WOODWARD in Toronto and New Haven for public ticketed events in the past week. What amazes me most when we travel together is the awe and reverence people display when they meet him. I saw it over and over in the many events we've done together since the release of his latest book. Steve Paikin, the popular veteran TVO broadcaster, was not immune to that feeling. He moderated the Toronto event and wrote this piece recapping what he called “one of the greatest nights of my life.”

Fortune magazine just highlighted LinkedIn’s U.S. Emerging Jobs Report for 2018. LinkedIn measured the fastest growing jobs and skills in the country and is a window on the future of work. It highlights some stunning information like this: -Top Five Emerging Jobs -Top Five In-Demand Skills (Biggest Skills Gap) -Top Five Majors for Professionals in Emerging Jobs -Top Five Fastest-Growing by Job Title

As I was thinking back on 2018 I realized that this year is the 35th anniversary of a milestone event that rocked the speaking industry; something that’s not been repeated since. If you were in the industry back in 1983, you’ll remember just how profoundly things changed.